Arrived home yesterday from a week with 47 scouts at scout camp. Having brought my hammock, tarp and Phoenix, I still spent the first night on a cot having run out of time from a long day of travel and camp set-up. Sidebar - Temps were mid 90's during the day, high 60's at night. For the first night, Using just a sheet and a fleece bag I was cold, even after donning my fleece jacket and the wool blanket (walked back to the car to get).

I knew the problem and it was confirmed by setting up the hammock w/ UQ for night #2. Not wanting to take the risk, I threw in the wool blanket and fleece jacket and place on the shelf so that I could get to them if needed. Not needed, I was so comfortable with the Phoenix that using only the fleece bag (as TQ) was sufficient.

Having one last doubt thinking that the temps were higher on night 2, I pulled the UQ up the line to create a gap and immediately felt the rush of cool air under the hammock. I'm diggin' my HG Phoenix.

No longer needing the wool blanket, I gave it to a young scout who had a miserable night's sleep. His dad was also present and thought he might double up the blanket and put on top of him. "Nay, said I. Put it underneath him." Problem solved - one happy scout.

FYI, that first night in the hammock was the best night of sleep I've ever had at a scout camp. The Phoenix is a great piece of equipment.

06-26-2011, 14:20

BillyBob58

Thanks for posting what you learned! So were you cold the first night on a cot, and then warm the 2nd night in the hammock?

I guess a cot ( with no pad) could kind of have the same potential problem as a hammock........... cold air blowing under you?

06-26-2011, 15:29

LazyMan

Its amazing how much colder you are if it is coming from under.

06-27-2011, 03:17

stormcrow

Great Story

That is a great story McSpartan! Not that fact that you were cold those other nights of course but that you found a way to get comfortable. It seems like those hard learned lessons are the ones that stick with us. My first underquilt story is VERY similar....:lol::lol: Thank you for sharing it with us!

~Stormcrow

06-27-2011, 08:41

McSpartan

Quote:

Originally Posted by BillyBob58

Thanks for posting what you learned! So were you cold the first night on a cot, and then warm the 2nd night in the hammock?

I guess a cot ( with no pad) could kind of have the same potential problem as a hammock........... cold air blowing under you?

Yes to the cot and on the first night. You have the scenario right, the cot fabric performs similar to hammock fabric: you're up in the air with basically no insulation.

Quote:

Originally Posted by LazyMan

Its amazing how much colder you are if it is coming from under.

Roger that!:eek:

Quote:

Originally Posted by stormcrow

That is a great story McSpartan! Not that fact that you were cold those other nights of course but that you found a way to get comfortable. It seems like those hard learned lessons are the ones that stick with us. My first underquilt story is VERY similar....:lol::lol: Thank you for sharing it with us!~Stormcrow

To clarify, cold only the first night on the cot. Comfortably warm in slumber for the remaining 5 nights in hammock w/ Phoenix. Had several scouts and scout leaders try out the hammock during the trip.

The only bummer on the trip? The scouts from another camp that decided to play with sticks near the tarp. The result was a 3 inch gash in my tarp.:thumbdown:

06-27-2011, 09:02

Jsaults

Yep. I had essentially the same experience

during my first night in a hammock.

I had no idea how the roadsign "Bridge Freezes Before Road Surface" applied to hammocks! Even in the summer one can get chilled on a 60 degree night.

Jim

06-27-2011, 09:10

Hawk-eye

I hear ya on the Phoenix ... I have it's ancestor the "Crow's Nest" and I absolutely love it. Piece of sweet light weight compact downy delight that has kept me warm to the high 20's so far!

Will be suplimenting it with a HG top quilt very soon! :D

06-27-2011, 09:52

McSpartan

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hawk-eye

I hear ya on the Phoenix ... I have it's ancestor the "Crow's Nest" and I absolutely love it. Piece of sweet light weight compact downy delight that has kept me warm to the high 20's so far!

Will be suplimenting it with a HG top quilt very soon! :D

Thanks Hawk. Your comment about getting a new TQ has me thinking about a "minus" rating on the seasons given certain temp ranges. I read someone else here state something similar. Here's the concept of "minus" that I'm contemplating: For a 3S UQ, can you drop (subtract) a season on the TQ, in this case a summer TQ and what would generally be the effective temp range? Same thing for a 4S UQ used with a 3S TQ. Do any of you do this? Hey, I'm highjacking my own thread!

06-27-2011, 10:03

Shug

Once you go UQ....you'll never go back.
Too bad around the tarp.....but as a former scout I can attest to the rambunctious attitude brought on by a trip to the piney woods.
Shug

06-27-2011, 10:17

Hawk-eye

Quote:

Originally Posted by McSpartan

Thanks Hawk. Your comment about getting a new TQ has me thinking about a "minus" rating on the seasons given certain temp ranges. I read someone else here state something similar. Here's the concept of "minus" that I'm contemplating: For a 3S UQ, can you drop (subtract) a season on the TQ, in this case a summer TQ and what would generally be the effective temp range? Same thing for a 4S UQ used with a 3S TQ. Do any of you do this? Hey, I'm highjacking my own thread!

Not really ... for the minor ... and I mean minor weight penality I'd rather have the same top and bottom myself. But then that's just me.

Speaking of the TQ ... guess what just arrived in the mail here at my office?
MY HG 3S TQ!!!!! To quote my pal Shug-row

WHOOOOOOO BUDDY!

A thing of downy delight in green and black ... the ladies in the office had to come in and see what I was oooo'ing and ah'ing over.

They just shook their heads, gave me the look and walked off ... :woot:
... of course it still grosses them out that I poop in the woods! :D